Seniors
Seniors worked hard to raise the younger generations, and I am adamant about supporting their needs. I am working hard to support seniors here in Northwest Washington by strengthening Medicare, protecting Social Security, and advocating for important resources for seniors.
Strengthening Social Security
Social Security must remain a safety net that covers all of our seniors. Washington state seniors have spent a lifetime contributing to Social Security. They are entitled to the benefits they have earned. For that reason, I oppose the privatization of Social Security. While Social Security is fiscally sound for the near future, the retirement of the baby boom generation will strain it. We owe it to future generations to keep Social Security solvent and not take unnecessary risks with it.
Improving Medicare for Seniors
Medicare is one of the cornerstones of our social safety net. I believe that Medicare beneficiaries deserve the best treatments possible. To that end, I supported measures like closing the Medicare prescription drug donut hole and cracking down on Medicare fraud that strengthen Medicare and improve its long-term viability. Uncovering Medicare fraud protects Medicare’s long-term viability and returns taxpayer dollars to their rightful purpose.
I fought for better access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries by supporting free preventative care, maintaining Washington state’s physician reimbursement rate, and closing the “donut hole” for Medicare prescriptions. Ensuring that Medicare and Medicaid are protected for future generations is something I have stood by through every budget and deficit negotiation. I do not support any proposal that ends the guaranteed benefit of Medicare.
Accomplishments
- Fought to improve Medicare reimbursement rates for Washington state doctors included the health care reform legislation,
- Voted for the Democratic alternative to the Ryan Budget, which would have turned Medicare into a voucher system, to keep Medicare a guaranteed benefit,
- Successfully fought against the reduction of Medicare hospital reimbursement rates,
- Strongly support the Medicare fraud task force, which gets a 680 percent return on taxpayers’ investment, returning $6.80 for every $1 in fraud,
- Support deficit reduction that limits government spending growth, protects our social safety net for seniors, and expands revenue collection, particularly from the richest Americans and large corporations,
- Fought proposals to privatize Social Security.